One of the joys of the recent resurgence of adult animation in the past couple of years has been the many surprise celebrity cameos, often without audiences realizing it until the credits roll. From Daniel Radcliffe in Bojack Horseman to Taika Waititi in Rick & Morty, animation is the perfect medium for celebrities to make quick, iconic turns in roles they otherwise wouldn't play. One such cameo-packed show that dropped on Hulu last week is Koala Man.
Created, developed by, and starring Michael Cusack (Smiling Friends, YOLO: Crystal Fantasy), Koala Man tells the story of Kevin, a middle-class dad who lives a secret double life as the incompetent vigilante Koala Man. Set in Cusack's hometown of Dapto, Australia, the show is a distinctly Aussie take on the adult animated-comedy genre, complete with all sorts of iconic Australian symbols and references. Cusack has assembled a guest cast of several iconic Australian, New Zealand, and American stars who lend their voices to all sorts of entertainingly wacky characters.
Editor's note: due to allegations of domestic violence, the entry on Justin Roiland has been removed.
Hugh Jackman
One of the most famous Australians in Hollywood, Emmy award-winning actor Hugh Jackman appears in eight episodes of Koala Man. In addition to his action movie work as a Wolverine and several musical roles, Jackman is no stranger to animation, having done voice work for Flushed Away, Happy Feet, and Rise of the Guardians.
Jackman voices Big Greg, a former celebrity fisherman and head of the town council who is Kevin's encouraging albeit egotistical boss. Judging by his zany delivery, Jackman seems to have had an enjoyable time with the role, and it's great to see the Aussie star feature in the series.
Alexandra Daddario
Known for her Emmy-nominated work as Rachel in White Lotus and Lisa in True Detective, American actor Alexandra Daddario got her breakout role when she was cast as Annabeth in the Percy Jackson film series. She also played Summer in the 2017's Baywatch and is set to star in the upcoming series Mayfair Witches.
Daddario makes a guest appearance in Episode 2 of Koala Man, "Deep Pockets." She plays McKayla Taylor Mercedes, the brilliantly nasty schoolgirl nemesis of Kevin's daughter Alison. She is blamed for the underground soda trading ring foiled by Koala Man, despite the fact it is actually his children Alison and Liam who are responsible.
Rachel House
Audiences might recognize New Zealand character actor and director Rachel House from her appearances in nearly every Taika Waiti film to date, including as remorseless policewoman Paula in Hunt for the Wilderpeople and the Grandmaster's lackey Topaz in Thor: Ragnarok. House has also done voice work for animation before, playing Terry, the soul accountant and main antagonist in Soul.
House's deadpan delivery and forceful New Zealand accent are iconic additions to Koala Man. She appears in six episodes in total, firstly as Janine, the friendly and off-beat coworker of Kevin's wife Vicky, who accidentally starts a zombie plague after she gets possessed by a horny alien called The Great One. Rachel's second cameo is as Louise, the tough-as-guts owner of the local bowling club who harbors a secret crush on Koala Man.
Jemaine Clement
One half of the comedy-music duo Flight of the Conchords, Jemaine Clement, is another famous local talent who makes a voice cameo in Koala Man. This is not his first adult-animation guest spot, having appeared as Fart, the telepathic singing gas cloud, in Rick & Morty. Clement has also lent his voice talents to characters in Moana, the Rio film series, and recently appearing as Dr. Ian Garvin in Avatar: The Way of Water.
Clement cameos in Koala Man as the voice of Principal Bazwell, principal of North Dapto High school, with a dark secret. Sadly, unlike in Rick & Morty, the script doesn't offer Clement a chance to flex his musical talents; his spoken voice work alone is enough to steal the show (especially in the finale).
Angus Sampson
An established part of the Australian entertainment scene, actor Angus Sampson lends his talents to four episodes of Koala Man. Audiences may recognize his voice from his work as the spirit inspector Tucker in the Insidious series. He also starred in the 2014 Australian film Mule and made appearances in Mad Max: Fury Road and its upcoming prequel/spin-off, Furiosa.
Sampson voices many wacky characters in Koala Man, including emu General Peckmeister, Summer Santa, Uncle Bumpy, and Wizened Garbage Man. Each of these relatively small parts allows him to showcase different ridiculously funny traits, as Sampson effectively gives each character their own uniquely goofy flair.
communitychannel (Natalie Tran)
Natalie Tran, a.k.a. YouTuber, comedian, and social media personality, communitychannel, pops up in four episodes of Koala Man. An Aussie icon, Natalie at one point had the most subscribed-to channel in Australia, making her one of the highest-earning Youtubers in the country. Her appearance on the show marks the continuation of her transition into more formal acting and comedy after she stopped working on YouTube in 2016.
Tran's film career thus far has mainly consisted of comedic supporting roles, making her the perfect choice to play the characters of Lulu Liu and Kevin's neighbor in Koala Man. Drawn from her observational-style comedy, Tran's relaxed, casual delivery is an entertaining contrast to the madcap chaos of Koala Man's other characters.
Hugo Weaving
From The Lord of the Rings to V for Vendetta, The Matrix to Captain America, Hugo Weaving is truly acting royalty: in 2020, he was recognized as an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia for his contributions to the arts). So it is super exciting to hear him in four episodes of Koala Man.
Weaving plays King Emudeus, the leader of the emu army that attacks Koala Man's town after someone cracks the royal emu egg, thereby starting the Great Emu War II. With his iconic, commanding voice, Weaving was an obvious choice for the role, and his laughably self-serious delivery is a definite highlight of the show.
Miranda Otto
Known for her iconic portrayal of Éowyn, shieldmaiden of Rohan, and slayer of the Witch-King in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Australian actress Miranda Otto pops up in the season finale of Koala Man. The cameo marks her first time doing voice-over work and perhaps serves as useful preparation for her upcoming role in the 2024 Lord of the Rings anime The War of the Rohirrim.
Otto appears in a flashback as the voice of Mindy, a koala who is rescued by Kevin. Otto's confident, caring voice is perfect for the role as Mindy teaches Kevin the ways of the koala, showing him the multiverse and inspiring him to become Koala Man.
friendlyjordies (Jordan Shanks)
Australian YouTuber, journalist, and comedian Jordan Shanks, a.k.a. friendlyjordies, cameos in four episodes of Koala Man. Known for his satirical impersonations of famous Australian politicians (some of which have got him into legal hot water), friendlyjordies' channel currently has over 700,000 subscribers.
With his true blue Aussie accent and over-the-top drawl, friendlyjordies is an excellent addition to the supporting cast of Koala Man. He appears as several characters, most notably the Town Shopkeeper from Episode 1, who seeks Koala Man's help to solve the problem of some loiterers, and Chippy, one of the evil Tradies who are essentially the Dapto town mafia.